Banner mounting construction



Nov. 22, 1960 E. J. KIES BANNER MOUNTING consrnucnou Filed July 28,1959

INVENTOR. ElliOZl' .I

ATTORNEYS 2,960,785 BANNER MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 28, 1959, Ser. No. 830,046 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to mounting means for banners and signs, and more particularly it pertains to spring tensioned supports for flexible banners.

In recent years flexible banners or signs have been widely accepted as advertising media with unusual success. Prior outdoor advertising had involved the use of signs composed of rigid paperboard or the like which were for temporary or short-lived advertising campaigns. One trouble with such rigid paperboard signs was the problem of transporting them to their location with a minimum of expense and bulk. Frequently such signs had to be shipped in half or quarter sections which were then assembled and erected.

As a result of that problem the flexible banners or signs composed of cloth or other sheetlike material were introduced and as their adaptability and convenience were recognized they gradually took over most of the advertising which was formerly devoted to the said rigid paperboard signs. The flexible banners disclosed in Us. Patents Nos. 2,764,830 and 2,882,630 are exemplary of the constant development to promote and improve such flexible signs.

After having been recognized and accepted as a satisfactory means for advertising, it was desirableto minimize the cost of such signs as much as possible and thereby make such signs acceptable to more potential users. At the same time it wasrecognized that if a more simplified banner mounting and suspension means could be provided which was more readily installed with a minimum of time and effort, the flexible banner or sign would be even more readily accepted.

Moreover, not all prior mounting and suspension means were readily adapted to any type of pole on which the banners might be mounted because poles not only vary in shape, such as round and rectangular, but round poles have varying diameters. V

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide the banner mounting construction which is more readily adapted for use on poles of any configuration than was possible with prior banner mounting constructions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a banner mounting construction which has a minimum of parts and therefore maintains the cost of the banner mounting construction at a minimum.

It is another object of this invention to provide a banner mounting construction which makes use of heavy gauge wire of relatively short length having an upturned hook at each end and having an intermediate portion adapted for attachment to a vertical pole by a pole band.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a heavy gauge Wire hanger which may be bent for use in one of two positions.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved banner mounting construction which substantially eliminates the difficulties enumerated and which obtains the foregoing desiderata in a simple and effective manner.

States Patent These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claim may be obtained, the stated results achieved, and the described difficulties overcome by the discoveries, principles, apparatus, parts, elements, combinations, and subcombinations which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, preferred embodiments of which-illustrative of the best modes in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-are set forth in the following description and shown in the drawing, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claim forming part hereof.

Thenature of the improvements in the banner mounting construction of the present invention may be stated in general terms as including an upright support member, two banner components, upper and lower mounting means for mounting the banner components on the upright support member, one banner component being located on the upright support member opposite the other banner component, the upper mounting means including two tension members mounted on opposite sides of the upright support member, each tension member being a fabricated Wire member having hooked end portions detachably engaging the banner components, each tension member having an intermediate portion including spaced vertical portions fixedly engaging the upright support member, a pole band holding the fixed vertical portions against the upright support member, each tension member having a flangelike portion extending radially outwardly of the upright support member above the pole band, and each tension member having downwardly outwardly inclined portions extending between the spaced vertical portions and the hooked end portions.

The preferred embodiments of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective View of the upper end of a banner mounting construction of the present invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the lower end of the banner mounting construction of Fig. l; g

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the upper end of a banner mounting means of another embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the lower end of the banner mounting means shown in Fig. 3;

V Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, plan View of the banner mounting construction of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, plan View of the construction shown in Fig. 3 and having broken lines showing the cross section of an alternate pole construction with which either embodiment of the invention may be used.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

In the drawing, a pair of banners or signs 1 and 2 is mounted on opposite sides of an upright support, pole or standard 3. The banners or signs 1 and 2 are flexible and preferably elongated rectangular members having longitudinal axes which are substantially vertical. Other shapes of banners may be used and suspended in a similar manner. Whatever shape is used, the opposite ends of the banners are provided with hemlike borders or sleeves such as the upper and lower sleeves 4 and 5 on the banner 1 and the upper and lower sleeves 6 and 7 on the banner 2. A stiffener member or pull bar 8, 9, 10, and 11 is disposed ineach sleeve 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively.

The pull bars may be composed of Wood, metal, or other suitable rigid material. The banners 1 and 2, being composed of flexible material such as clot-h, are sustained in flat, taut, vertical planes as shown in Figs, l and 2 by upper and lower mounting means generallyjindicated at 12 and 13, respectively.

The upper mounting means 12 includes a pole band 14 and a pair of tension members or hangers 15 and 16. The lower banner mounting means includes a pole band 17, a pair of tension members or hangers 18 and 19, a pair of tension members or springs 20 and 21, a pair of S-hooks 22 and 23, and a pair of band clips 24 and 25.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each end or sleeve portion of each banner 1 and 2 is provided with a pair of similar spaced apertures aligned with corresponding apertures in the stiffener members or pull bars 811, which apertures are generally indicated at 26 and 27.

The pole bands 14 and 17 are elongated strips of metal having clamps 28 and 29 of conventional construction. The tension members or hangers 15, 16, 18, and 19 are fabricated from heavy gauge wire stock and have a substantially V-shape. Each hanger is provided with an outturned end portion or hook 30 and 31 at opposite ends which extend through the apertures 26 and 27 of the banners 1 and 2 and of'the pull bars 8--11 therein. In addition, each member 15, 16, 18, and 19 includes a pair of spaced vertical portions 32 and 33 (Fig. l) and an outturned flangelike portion 34 between and above the portions 32 and 33 and substantially perpendicular thereto. Each member 15, 16, 18, and 19 also includes outturned inclined portions 35 and 36 extending between the corresponding hooks 30 and 31 and vertical portions 32 and 33. As shown in Fig. 1, all portions of each member 15, 16, 18, and 19 except the flangelike portion 34 are disposed in a single plane.

As shown in Fig. l, the vertical portions 32 and 33 are secured tightly against the outer surface of the pole 1 by the pole band 14.

The particular configuration of the central portion of each member 15 and 16 maintains the member rigidly in place with respect to the pole 1. 32 and 33 contribute to the rigidity of the mounting means 12. The flangelike portion 34, extending above the band and outwardly from the surface of the pole 1, prevents the members 15 and 16 from being pulled downwardly out of their fixed position between the band and the pole.

As shown in Fig. 1, each member 15, 16, 18, and 19 extends in a plane transverse to each banner or sign 1 and 2. The lower outturned end portion or hook of each member 15, 16, 18, and 19 is connected to a' different sign. Inasmuch as the members 15, 16, 18, and 19 are composed of heavy wire, the outturned inclined portions 35 and 36 are relatively flexible and yield outwardly or inwardly, depending upon the diameter of the pole 1. When completely mounted with the lower ends of the banners secured as shown in Fig. 2, the two banners are held tightly against the pole 1 in a boxlike manner.

The lower mounting means includes the members 18 and 19 which are similar to the members 15 and 16 in construction. The lower end or central portions of the members 18 and 19, however, are connected to the upper end of the springs 20 and 21. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower ends of the springs 20 and 21 are secured to the upper ends of the S-hooks 22 and 23, the lower ends of which are secured to the clips 24 and mounted on the pole band 17. The pole bands 14 and 17 are sufiiciently far apart to create tension in the springs 20 and 21 when completely assembled.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6 in which all parts are similar to those of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 except for the tension members or hangers 37, 38, 39, and 40. Said members difier from the tension members or hangers 15, 16, 18, and 19 in that the latter have upturned end portions or books and 31 which are disposed in the plane of the inclined portions and 36 as shown in Fig. 5. The tension members or hangers 37-40 likewise include upturned end portions or hooks 41 and 42 which are turned outwardly from the plane of the main portions of the members as showr gin Fig. 6.

The hooks 37-40 are mounted on the'pole 3' by' the The vertical portions pole band 14 in a manner similar to that of the hooks 35 and 36 in Fig. 1 but in different positions; namely, on the same sides of the pole as the banners or signs 1 and 2. In that manner, the hooks 41 and 42 of one tension member 3740 engage the apertures 26 and 27 of the same banner, as distinguished from the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 in which the hook portions at opposite ends of a particular tension member 15, 16, 18, and 19 engage both banners 1 and 2.

Likewise, the lower mounting means 13 of Fig. 4 includes a pair of coil springs 20 and 21, the pole band 17 with clamp 29 as well as clips 24 and 25, and s-hooks 22 and 23. Here again, due to the outturned positions of the end portions or hooks 41 and 42 of the tension members 39 and 40, the entire assembly of the lower mounting means 13 is oriented so that all of the assembled parts are disposed on one or the other side of the pole corresponding to the particular banner 1 and 2 to which they are attached. As shown in Fig. 6, the pole 3 may be round or it may be of some other configuration such as rectangular,

, as shown by a pole having broken line construction indicated at 43. In the same manner the pole 3 of Fig. 5 may be round or some other configuration.

The banner mounting construction of the present invention when assembled as shown in Figs. 14 provides a boxlike assembly of banners 1 and 2 which are mounted fixedly between the upper and lower mounting means 12 and 13. The assembly permits slight adjustments for yielding of the banner surfaces due to the elements such as wind. Under a strong wind the springs 20 and 21 yield and each tension member 15, 16, 18, and 19 yields temporarily under whatever forces are applied by the wind on the banners. When the wind subsides, the springs 20 and 21, as well as the tension members, return to their normal position and thereby maintain the banners in a flat, readily readable status. v

At the same time, the tension members 15, 16, 18, and 19 which constitute the primary mounting means of the banner mounting construction have a configuration and are composed of a material of minimum cost as compared with banner mounting means of prior construction such as those disclosed in said Patents No. 2,764,830 and No. 2,882,630. Moreover, the banner mounting construction provides a pair of tension members at upper and lower ends of the banners which are identical and particularly useful because at the upper end the pair is directly attached to the pole by the pole band and at the lower end is indirectly attached by additional mounting means such as the coil springs. v

The tension members 15, 16, 18, 19, 37-40 are particularly useful in mounting banners in that each member includes a pair of vertical portions such as the portions 32 and 33 together with the flangelike portion 34 by which a rigid contact with the pole 3 may be provided at the upper end of the assembly where they are attached directly by pole bands. The remaining portion of each tension member depends freely from the pole band and is relatively yieldable to enable quick assembly and disassembly of the banners 1 and 2 as well as maintaining the banners in place under all weather conditions.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations have been implied therefrom as such words are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact construction shown.

Having now described the invention, construction, operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful banner mounting construction and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In banner mounting construction of the type for mounting two flexible banner components on opposite sides of an upright support member, and in which a pole band is secured on the member for attaching the banner components, the combination of a tension member for connecting the upper end of each banner component to the pole band including an elongated wire member having a substantially V-shape configuration with an upper apex portion, spaced intermediate portions extending downwardly from the apex portion, and two downwardly, outwardly inclined portions, one extending from each intermediate portion, the intermediate portions and the downwardly inclined portions being disposed in a plane parallel to the axis of the upright support member, the apex portion being outturned at an angle to said plane, a hooked lower end portion on each inclined portion, which lower end portions detachably engage the upper end of a banner component at spaced locations, the spaced intermediate portions being secured tightly against the outer surface of the upright support member by the pole band, the apex portion being outturned at an angle to said plane above the pole band, whereby the elongated wire member is fixedly secured in place on the pole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 939,318 Redman Nov. 9, 1909 1,466,059 Rand Aug. 28, 1923 1,652,687 Slowinski Dec. 13, 1927 2,415,207 Goranson Feb. 4, 1947 2,882,630 Frey Apr. 21, 1959 2,893,147 Mollet July 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 607,740 France Apr. 6, 1926 

